World Thrombosis Day Campaign Announces Winners from Italy and Ireland for its Global Advocacy Awards

CHAPEL HILL, NC, USA, October 8, 2020 — The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) today announced the recipients of two global thrombosis advocacy awards for its World Thrombosis Day campaign, including the inaugural World Thrombosis Day Activity of the Year Award and the Ambassador of the Year Award. 

 

Thrombosis Ireland, a patient advocacy organization based in Dublin, Ireland, has been selected for the inaugural World Thrombosis Day Activity of the Year Award for its “Stop the Clot Roadshow.” The Activity of the Year Award recognizes a World Thrombosis Day partner organization that has shown outstanding effort in developing an engaging and successful activity to raise awareness about thrombosis. 

 

Organized in 2019, Thrombosis Ireland’s Stop the Clot Roadshow featured a double-decker bus wrapped with information and resources about thrombosis. In recognition of World Thrombosis Day, the roadshow included stops at 11 hospitals in the Ireland East Hospital Group and their communities for educational presentations, exercise demonstrations and conversations with experts in the field about how to prevent hospital-associated thrombosis.

 

“The Stop the Clot Roadshow reached more than 2 million people in communities and hospitals across Ireland,” said Ann Marie O’Neill, founder and CEO of Thrombosis Ireland, who is a blood clot survivor herself. “What started out as just an idea, turned into an incredibly successful awareness campaign across the country for World Thrombosis Day. It was such a unique opportunity to spread the word about thrombosis in a fun and creative way.”

 

Additionally, Federica Fedele of Milan, Italy, has been named the World Thrombosis Day 2020 Ambassador of the Year in recognition of her extraordinary commitment to achieving the mission of the World Thrombosis Day campaign and for raising awareness about thrombosis in Italy. 

 

Fedele is a pulmonary embolism (PE) survivor who established the patient advocacy group Vincere La Trombosi, which translates to “Overcome Thrombosis” in Italian. Vincere La Trombosi organizes World Thrombosis Day awareness activities throughout the year and oversees an impressive online presence with thousands of followers on social media. Fedele frequently collaborates with local gyms and organizations to plan events that highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle to reduce a person’s thrombosis risk. 

 

“It is such an honor to recognize Thrombosis Ireland and Federica Fedele with these prestigious awards,” said Prof. Beverley Hunt, OBE, Chair of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee. “The World Thrombosis Day campaign is led by a powerful global community of partners, and our award program offers the important opportunity to recognize the inspired work and dedication of these changemakers.”

 

To learn more about World Thrombosis Day, visit www.worldthrombosisday.org. 

 

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About World Thrombosis Day

Launched in 2014 and held annually on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day (WTD) aims to increase public, healthcare professional and health care systems’ awareness of thrombosis and, ultimately, to reduce deaths and disabilities from thromboembolic disease through a greater awareness of its causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and evidence-based prevention and treatment. WTD’s mission supports the World Health Assembly’s global target of reducing premature deaths by non-communicable disease by 25 percent by 2025, as well as the World Health Organization’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work 2019–2023, the Montevideo Roadmap 2018-2030 on NCDs and the Political Declaration of UNGA’ Third High-level Meeting on NCDs. Visit www.worldthrombosisday.org for more information and to get involved.

 

About the ISTH

Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading worldwide not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders. ISTH is an international professional membership organization with more than 7,000 clinicians, researchers and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 100 countries around the world. Among its highly regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and congresses, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Visit ISTH online at www.isth.org.

 

Media Inquiries:

Barbara Krolak

Campaign Senior Specialist

International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Barbara_Krolak@isth.org